JICA clears Rs 7,910 crore for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link

Mumbai, March 31 (IANS) The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Friday signed an agreement to release the first tranche of Rs.7,910 crore for the upcoming Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project, an official said here.

The agreement was inked between JICA and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for the amount, which comprises around 45 pecent of the project, estimated to cost Rs 17,843 crore.

“This is a major boost to the MTHL as we have already shortlisted contractors who have been issued Request for Proposal for the execution of the project,” said MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner U.P.S. Madan.

A consortium of AECOM-DAR-PADECO-T.Y. Lin have been appointed as general consultants for the project in which JICA has committed to finance 85 percent of the cost.

The MTHL will be a six-lane, 27 metre wide, 22-km long sealink from Sewri to Nhava Sheva on the mainland affording fast links between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, Raigad, Pune and beyond, to the upcoming new international airport and other major infrastructure and commercial projects.

In its budget for 2017-2018, the MMRDA has allocated an amount of Rs 1,200 crore for the implementation of MTHL, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone last December.

It is due for completion in 2019 and will rank as India’s longest sea bridge.